bake

1 of 2

verb

ˈbāk 

baked; baking; bakes

transitive verb

1

: to cook by dry heat especially in an oven

bake a cake

bake bread

baked potatoes

baking [=roasting] a chicken

2

: to dry or harden by subjecting to heat

intransitive verb

1

: to prepare food by baking it

a cook who enjoys baking

2

: to become baked

a loaf of bread baking in the oven

3

: to be or become extremely hot

sidewalks baking in the sun

bake

2 of 2

noun

1

: the act or process of baking

2

: a social gathering at which a baked food is served

Examples of bake in a Sentence

Verb

She wrapped the fish in foil and baked it for 15 minutes.

How long has the cake been baking?

They baked the bricks in the sun.

The streets were baking in the afternoon heat.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Plus, the party is betting that voter sentiment on the trials is already baked into the electoral cake. —Haisten Willis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 12 June 2024

While all record stores have a recognizable musk, Delta Breeze’s fragrance in the ground-floor of a 100-year-old Victorian duplex is complemented with the aroma of fortune cookies baking next door. —Blake Gillespie, SPIN, 11 June 2024

Noun

As the dessert bakes, the batter rises to the surface, creating a cakelike base and topping. —Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 7 June 2024

Challenges included balancing the flavors of Cheez-Its and Taco Bell and finding the right bake time, representatives said at a preview in the company’s Irvine headquarters in April. —Fielding Buck, Orange County Register, 30 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English bacan; akin to Old High German bahhan to bake, Greek phōgein to roast

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1835, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing bake

• bake sale
• pre-bake
• wake and bake

Kids Definition

bake

1 of 2 verb

ˈbāk 

baked; baking

1

: to cook or become cooked by dry heat especially in an oven

2

: to dry or harden by heat

bake bricks

3

: to be or become very hot

a sidewalk baking in the sun

baker noun

bake

2 of 2 noun

1

: the act or process of baking

2

: a social gathering at which a baked food is served

especially : clambake